Come Clean
by RockSunner
Summary: On the day when Adrien received a hat and confessed to Marinette, he asked her a simple question. An AU with spoilers for "Chat Blanc".
1. The Question

On the day Adrien got the hat and confessed to Marinette, he asked her a simple question. Would she tell him the truth? An AU for Chat Blanc.

**Come Clean**

**Chapter 1: The Question**

Adrien and Marinette were sitting in the park on a bench together, his arm around her shoulder.

It was perfect, Adrien thought. He loved Ladybug, and now she was his.

Should he ask her? It might ruin things between them... but the fact that he knew her secret might gradually poison their relationship too. As it was, he was lying to her by omission. What if he teased it out of her?

"Marinette, may I ask you something?"

"Anything, Adrien."

"I love the hat you made for me, but how did you manage to get it into my room?"

Marinette looked at him wild-eyed and began to babble.

"Eeep! Uh, well, I... You- you weren't home when I got there, because fencing ran late, you know, but I pleaded with Nathalie and she let me put it into the slot. She must have taken it up to your room and put it on your bed."

"How did you know it was on my bed?"

"J-just a lucky guess."

"So if I check with Nathalie she'll confirm your story? I'm wondering because she usually screens anything that isn't for school. Because of fans, you know."

"No, please don't ask her. I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Actually, I bribed your bodyguard with an action figure and he was the one who took it in for me."

"The Gorilla was with me at the fencing award ceremony. He drove me home, so I don't see how he could have done it. Please just tell me the truth, Marinette. It's hard to have a relationship if you won't come clean with me."

"Oooh... all right! Nathalie wouldn't take the present. I was desperate to show you how I felt about you, so I scaled your back wall and climbed up to your bedroom window."

"That's quite a feat. You'd have to be as strong and athletic as Ladybug to do that. Are you Ladybug?"

"N-no, of course not. Why would you ever think that?"

"Because I saw Ladybug leaving my room by the window when I opened the door."

"You saw that? You knew that all along and you were just playing with me? Okay. Yes, Ladybug delivered the present for me and I was trying to keep that a secret."

"I find it hard to believe she would do you such a personal favor, unless she was a very close friend, or you yourself."

"Tell me this... is the only reason you told me you loved me because you think I'm Ladybug?"

"I... wouldn't say that. I've always thought of you as an amazing girl, a wonderful friend. This just tipped me over the edge."

"Right, you only saw me as a friend. But now I might be a superhero and that makes me special enough for you."

"You're special to me with or without a mask, Ladybug. I mean Marinette."

"I knew this was too good to be true! I'm going home."

Marinette ran.

Adrien cursed himself for rocking the boat.

* * *

Marinette didn't run home right away. She found a private place to transform and used a Lucky Charm to locate Master Fu. After she transformed back, they met in the back room of a quiet tea shop where Fu had a temporary job.

"Adrien knows who I am, or at least suspects so strongly I don't know how I'm going to convince him. Something like what I did with Chat Noir might work... the Multimouse illusion."

"Did Adrien tell you anything more about himself?" asked Master Fu.

"No, but it's pretty clear he's infatuated with Ladybug and that's the reason he likes me as more than a friend."

"I see... It is too risky to proceed with things as they are. Marinette, I must ask you now to give back the Ladybug earrings."

"Oh no! I trust Adrien and I'm sure he'll never tell. I don't want to give up Tikki."

Tikki flew out of Marinette's purse. "I don't want to give you up, either. But Adrien could get akumatized or fall under the influence of a mind-controlling villain. It has happened before."

"I know, with Zombizou. I'll be more careful to protect him in the future."

"The problem is bigger that you realize," said Master Fu. "You cannot protect him. There is a reason for the rule I gave that if either you or Chat Noir learns the other's identity, then both of you must give up your Miraculous."

"It doesn't seem fair. Rena Rouge and Carapace know each other's identities," said Marinette.

"It was used against them on Heroes' Day," said Master Fu. "But the powers of Creation and Destruction are special. Combined, they can grant any wish and disturb the balance of the universe. So I have chosen to restrict them with the greatest care. Both you and Chat Noir must give up your Miraculous and let me select replacement holders. I have picked out two in advance; they are people you don't know."

"But that rule was about Chat or I learning each others identities, not some other person. Adrien..."

"Adrien is not just a civilian. I will be going to see him shortly to take back his Miraculous as well."

"He's... but he can't be! Chat Noir?"

"Soon he will not be. After that, you will be free to date, if both of you still wish," said Master Fu.

"I don't know about that. I'm confused. I don't think I know the real Adrien after all. And he hasn't seen the real me."

"Take time, and you can," said Tikki. "You really are made for each other."

"Tikki, I'm going to miss you so much," said Marinette.

"I will miss you, too, Marinette," said Tikki, rubbing her cheek against Marinette's. "You have really been my best holder."

Marinette removed the earrings, and Tikki was gone. She handed them over to Master Fu with tears in her eyes.

"I really blew it when I delivered that signed present for Adrien as Ladybug. I wish I could go back in time and undo it."

"That will not be required," said Master Fu. "This way is safest. We will avert any danger of identity exposure."


	2. Decisions

**Chapter 2: Decisions**

As Marinette headed away from the tea shop where she met Master Fu, she texted Adrien: "Sorry about what I said b4. Can we meet?"

"I've almost walked home," Adrien texted back.

"Important. Back at park?" texted Marinette.

"Ok," Adrien texted.

* * *

They met back at the same park bench.

"What I said before wasn't fair," said Marinette. "First of all, I admit I was Ladybug. You know that side of me better than I thought. I know it's much deeper than a celebrity crush, and I love you back."

"Wow," said Adrien with a big grin. "What changed your mind?"

"I went to the Guardian to talk about how my identity was compromised, and get his ideas on how to fix it. That didn't go as I expected."

"What happened?"

"He asked for my Miraculous back."

"What? Why?"

"The rule he gave us, that if either of us learned the other one's secret identity then we would both have to give up being superheroes."

"Then, that means he told you..."

"Yes, I know that you were Chat Noir."

"No past tense! I _am_ Chat Noir and I'm not going to let him take that away from me. It's a stupid rule anyway."

"Adrien, the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous have to be protected with the highest security because of the wish. If one of us was akumatized or controlled then Hawk Moth could learn the secret of the other one and win everything."

"It was only in one direction. Master Fu just make it worse by telling you who I am."

"You knew you were breaking the rule. Your kwami knew too!"

Plagg spoke from Adrien's pocket. "Yes, and I don't care. My highest loyalty is to my Chosen, not the Guardian. If he tries to command me to leave, I won't go unless my Chosen agrees."

"I was sad to lose Tikki," said Marinette. "I didn't think I had a choice."

"I'm not giving Plagg up," said Adrien. "He's my only source of freedom."

"I was the one who messed up, leaving you that signed present," said Marinette. "You don't have to suffer for my mistake."

"We should make Fu give you your Miraculous back. I don't want to lose my crime-fighting partner."

"I think that would be a mistake. Knowing who you are, I'd be too distracted to be a good Ladybug. Remember how bad it got when you were Aspik? What were you thinking, anyway, accepting the Snake Miraculous when I also needed you as Chat?"

"You said we were okay without him, that all we needed was my new power."

"I don't remember saying that. It must have been after you activated the Second Chance, and I didn't want to waste it. What would you have done if I insisted on waiting for Chat?"

"I... I didn't think about that."

"So I can't go back to being Ladybug. Knowing who you are, the guy I love... it would mess up our team dynamic. And I'm sure Hawk Moth would notice and find a way to take advantage."

"I hate this, but if I have to I'll work with a new Ladybug. It's terrible to start a completely new pair of heroes when Hawk Moth has gotten so strong and has Mayura on his side. At least one experienced member has to stay to show the new Ladybug the ropes – the yo-yo rope, that is."

"All right, it's up to you," said Marinette. Then she sighed. "I guess we're not going to be able to date."

"What? Why not?"

"Things don't go well for civilians who date superheroes, especially if they know the hero's secret identity. I can't put my family and friends at risk."

"There's no extra risk if we date only as civilians."

"I don't know... Ladybug and Chat Noir are known as a celebrity couple, even if it wasn't real. The two of us publicly dating, with you a famous model, looking so much like them..."

"Paris is a big city. There must be hundreds of young couples who look like us."

"It seems like it could help Hawk Moth narrow things down."

"Then what about the two of us dating secretly? As Chat, I can sneak out and visit you."

"That's so tempting... as long as we're not caught."

"Let's do it!" said Adrien, going in for a kiss.

Marinette held up her hand. "No public displays of affection between us as civilians. As far as anyone knows, we talked things out and decided to just be friends."

"Okay, we'll just be a couple as Marinette and Chat Noir. There ought to be a couple name for that."

"How about Marichat?"

"I like it!"

**The End**


End file.
